Sunday, 20 March 2011

Quotes about Criticism

To knock a thing down, especially if it is cocked at an arrogant angle, is a deep delight of the blood.

George Santayana, US philosopher, poet (1863-1952)

Honest criticism is hard to take, particularly from a relative, a friend, an acquaintance, a stranger.

Franklin P Jones, US journalist, humorist (1908-1980)

I can take any amount of criticism, so long as it is unqualified praise.

Noel Coward, British actor, playwright, composer (1899-1973)

We swallow greedily any lie that flatters us, but we sip only little by little at a truth we find bitter.

Denis Diderot, French philosopher (1713-1784)

Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.

Albert Einstein, German physicist (1879-1955)

Too many of us take pleasure in discouraging people by pointing out their mistakes and getting excited about their failures rather than focusing on their strengths and getting excited about their possibilities.

John C Maxwell, US clergyman, author (b. 1947)

For every action, there is an equal and opposite criticism.

People spend too much time finding other people to blame, too much energy finding excuses for not being what they are capable of being, and not enough energy putting themselves on the line, growing out of the past, and getting on with their lives.

About Me

In order, I am a family man, a northerner, and a writer. Scarily it is over forty years since BBC Schools Radio gave me my first commission, and I have been writing as a part-time freelance ever since, mainly plays for the Beeb, and for education publishers. I got involved also with writing questions and formats for various TV and radio quiz shows. It's only in the last few years that I have been able to write full time, and in that period have produced: a collection of short stories 'We Never Had It So Good'; a thriller novel '11:59', which reached the semi-final of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award 2010; an historical novel 'Mr Stephenson's Regret', an Amazon semi-finalist in 2011; a psychological mystery 'As Close As You Are To Me'; and a micro-fiction collection 'HE and SHE: 1000 stories in 1000 tweets'. I also do readings and workshops.